Devices for preventing liquid from flowing out of nozzle bodies under gravity has been addressed heretofore. For example, Ohta Pat. No. 4,958,669 discloses various spaced apart, perforated plate designs for use within the discharge end of the nozzle body for the purpose described above. The suggested plates have a particular thickness and any of square, circular, triangular, or hexagonal openings formed therein, with a specified opening ratio of the total volume of the openings to the total volume, inclusive of the openings, of the plate.
Nelson Pat. No. 4,119,276 discloses a laminar stream faucet spout attachment including spaced apart perforated plates and screens.
Kelly Pat. No. 3,415,294 discloses a plurality of relatively closely spaced fine mesh screens, separated by 0-rings, at the discharge opening of a liquid filling machine for eliminating or minimizing the formation of foam as the liquid is poured through the screens into containers.
Each of Nelson Pat. No. 3,630,444 and Parkinson Pat. No. 3,730,439 disclose stacked, downwardly semispherical or concaval screens. Holden Pat. No. 2,643,104 and Nelson Pat. No. 4,730,786 disclose upwardly semispherical or concaval disc screens and/or cone screens.
McDonald application, Ser. No. 797,176, assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, discloses stacked wave-shaped or dimpled, perforated plates, wherein separate spacers are not required.